Process for treating emulsified oils



Feb. 21, 1928 1,660,230

c. c. MONGER PROCESS FOR TREA TING EMULSIFIED OILS Filed Nov. 27, 1935 iiillll l'U 1|" 'H'UH" IIWW I l 1 6 6. Won 625A Patented Feb, 221,

CLAYTON G. HUNGER, 0F CAEDEN, AEKABTSAS, ASSIGNOR OF (ENE-THIRD TD JGSEYE 5. 3'. L'YELL, 0F CAMDEN, ARKANSAS.

PEOGESS ESE TREATING EMULSIFIED OILS.

application flied Hovemher a7, 1925. Serial 1%. H5552.

The present invention relates to the treatment of emulsified oils containing water and basic sediment or other foreign'matter, for the purpose of recovering the oil in a refined state.

Objects of the invention are:

To provide a novel process for treating emulsified oils to recover the oil in a refined state; to provide in an oil treating process, for breaking emulsified oil globules, by disruptive discharge of oil heated under pressure against a solid object; to provide in a rocess of this character for automatic washmg of the disrupted globules through the natural buoyancy of the oil.

With these general objects in view, the invention resides in the novel process hereinafter described and claimed, whereof, one embodiment is disclosed in the accompanying drawings. Heretofore it has been found extremely diflicult to recover refined oil from emulsified oils such as from the residue of the well fields comprising waste oil which drains into creeks and gullies being caught at catch stations located adjacent the drilling fields. This oil contains much water and 'basic sediment or other impurities which render the refining thereof extremely diflicult and expensive and entailing a loss of considerable of the lighter oil content. In the practice of the process of my invention the entire oil content is recovered in a refined state free from water and foreign matter.

,In the accompanying drawings the figure discloses one embodiment of an, apparatus by which the rocess of the invention is carried out. In etail the apparatus comprises a blast furnace 10 wherein a flame is directed from a jet 11 against a baille 12 and the burning gases are passed through a conduit 13 to an outlet stack 14. The conduit is preferably disposed in a horizontal position being surrounded throughout its length by a closed casing 15 supported on pillars 16. The emulsified oil obtained from the catch stations in the field is collected in a supply tank 17 having a discharge pipe 18 controlled by a valve 19, which discharge pipe leads to the intake of a force pump 20'the outlet of which' is connected through a conduit 21 with the end of the casing 15 tur- ,hest removed from the furnace 10. Atthe opposite end of the casing 15 an oil outlet pipe 22 controlled by a valve 23 connects with a delivery pipe 2a leading to a washing tank 25, to be hereinafter described. The diameter of pipe 24: is less than that of pipes 18 and 21.

When the valve 23 is closed and the pump 20 operated, the emulsified oil from the supply tank will be discharged under pressure into the casing 15 completely surrounding the heating conduit 13 whereby the oil is thoroughly heated while under pressure. The casing 15 is equipped with a safety valve 26 and a pressure gage 27, the functions of which are both well understood.

When the heated oil in the casing 15 has reached the desired temperature under pressure, or when a predetermined pressure has been reached, the valve 23 is opened permitting delivery of the heated oil under pressure through the pipe 24 into the washing tank 25 wherein it is discharged through an upturned nozzle 28 against the inverted dish-shaped iron baffle 29 supported in any suitable manner within the washing tank. The tank 25 is at all times filled with water to a point above the top of the baffle 29 and as a consequence the heated oil under pressure in its discharge against the bafile 29 is directed downwardly in the tank through the water contained therein whereby the refining action takes place. The oil possessing a natural buoyancy collects in a strata as indicated at 30 on top of the water contained in the tank from whence it is allowed to overflow through a connecting conduit 31 to a collecting tank 32. Basic sediment and impurities collecting at the bottom of the washing tank 25 may be discharged from time to time through the discharge valve 33. In the treatment'of the majority of oils the water contained in the tank 25 is maintained by suitable means at a temperature just below the boiling point, and this temperature of the water may be varied to meet the requirements of the particular oils being treated.

In carrying out my process the emulsified oil is, firstheated to a high temperature under great pressure in the casing 15, the pressure preventing any vaporization of the oil while in the heater, and as the next step of the process, by manipulation of the valve 23 the oil is allowed to discharge suddenly with great velocity against the solid battle 29 and into the hot water contained in the washing tank. This sudden release of pressure on the heated oil causes rapid expansion of the globules and as the globules impinge with great velocity against the solid battle in the Washing tank, each globule is forcibly disrupted both by its internal pressure and the physical contact against the bafile. As the globules are broken the water sediment is taken up by the Watercontained in the tank and the oil is sprayed in a very thin film downwardly in the tank assuring a complete Washing therein. It will be found that treatment of all emulsified oils of any nature and characters. Likewise no specific heat and pressure is claimed for the reason that these factors Willvary in accordance with the particular oils' to be treated.

I claim 1. An oil treating process comprising the forcible projecting of mixed oil and for.- eign liquid at a hlgh velocity against a stationary solid object entirely submerged under Water, to separate the oil from the f0r= sign liquid. t r

2. In an-oil treating process, the heating of emulsified oil under pressure and then discharging same forcibly in a sudden release of pressure against a solid object submerged in a water bath.

3. In an oil treating process, the heating of emulsified oil under pressure, and. dis charging same under pressure and forcibly against a stationary solid object submerged in a Water bath, the discharge creating a sudden release of pressure on the oil at the instant of contact with said solid object.

In testimony whereof I haveafiixed my signature.

GLAYTON C. MONGER. 

